Cichlid has white stringy poo??

[Mike667]

Hey Guys,

I’m building another tank with cichlids in it this time. I have it cycled purchased only 6 of them so far. 60 gal tank.

I noticed last week one of them has white stringy poo?? When I do a search, it says it’s a parasite and possibly bloat? But in a lot of threads I have found it says the fish usually dies?
However he does still eat.

Now two days ago I dosed the tank with stress zyme and stress coat and turned off the UV sterilizer. After I have done that I don’t see the issue again?? Is that normal? Will it come back? Cured? Any ideas?
He’s eating fine, and no stringy poo again...

 

[kno4te]

Hard to say. What kind of cichlid? What are ur water parameters? What are u feeding? Is it acting normal? Could be internal parasites. In that case metro and Epsom salts (+- levamisole). Think a few questions need to be answered.

 

[Mike667]

It’s a Malawi cichlids. Parameters are ammonia 0, nitrate 5ppm, nitrite 0, ph 7.6.
Feeding the omega one flakes.
It is acting normal.

I also have aquarium salts ordered and should be here today.

 

[duanes]

Your water parameters seem good.
The bacteria that go out of whack in cichlid intestines is usually caused by some sort of stress.
You don't mention your temp, Lake Malawi at depths where the most cichlids reside are very stable between 74-79'F, so too high or to low, could cause disease inducing stress.
Are lights being left on too long? cichlids that don't get the normal diurnal rest periods will stress out.
That said, there are at least 700 different specie of cichlids in lake Malawi, which inhabit different areas of the lake, so some variance should be taken into account.
Is there a dominant one constantly chasing others, this kind of stress cause disease.
Although the bacteria is in the gut, the UV helps control any that go into a planktonic stage, I'd leave it on.
And although the meds/chemicals have appeared to control the disease, you need to get at the underlying cause, or it may return.

 

[Mike667]

Yes, there is one chasing that one. Same species.
Also I think I have temp at 80
And light on for 7 hours

 

[Mike667]

The one with the white stringy poo is back. However 1 by 1 is going.... aquarium salt was added too, but no luck....
My question is assuming he goes...
Is the disease in the water, also in the filters?
If I do full water change after and gravel vac. Like a full water change.can I keep my old filter media? And recycle the tank for new fish?

 

[duanes]

The bacteria is inside the fish, you can't remove it by changing water.
That said water changes help to bolster a fishes immune system by removing nitrate (in itself a stress causation) and other invisible pollutants like hormones, pheromones, dissolved organic carbon, the list goes on and on.

 

[Coryloach]

When I do a search, it says it’s a parasite and possibly bloat?

Aquarium salt does not help internal parasites.
Water changes are a really good thing because although your water stats appear fine, fish health tells you otherwise...Water changes will boost the fish's immune system but will also reduce the pathogenic load in the environment.

The culprits for bloat are normally either spironucleus vortens or cryptobia and the fish come with it naturally. Aquarium conditions are a stressful environment so parasites may take hold over the fish's immune system. Bacteria may get involved as a secondary pathogen.

Where are you located?
Meds for spironucleus vortens and cryptobia are Waterlife Octozin and JBL spirohexol. These are sold in Europe.

Here is a bit about Waterlife Octozin:
Waterlife bring to us a treatment by the name of Octozin which can be used to treat the following diseases found in tropical fish:

• Sleeping sickness
• Hole-In-The-Head
• Malawi bloat
• Seawater Angelfish disease and Clown fish disease
• Marine whitespot
• Spironucleus
• Cryptobia
• Bodomonas
• Trypanoplasma
• Trypanonosoma

http://www.tropicalfishsite.com/waterlife-octozin-hole-in-the-head-and-bloat-treatment-review/


Meds for spironucleus vortens only is metronidazole(sold in the USA), also magnesium sulfate(epsom salts) soaked into food.
Here's a link with more info about spironucleus vortens.
https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/hith-revisited.650466/#post-7343405

There's absolutely no point dumping the fish or sterilizing the tank, only to come across it again. Learn about it, keep good maintenance routine and treat if needed.

 

[Mike667]

I’m located in Ontario, Canada.
And that’s what I want to prevent. Because I can’t buy any fish to fill up the aquarium if they all keep catching it...

 

[Coryloach]

Because I can’t buy any fish to fill up the aquarium if they all keep catching it...

See, the point is that fish like humans are living organisms with organisms living in them. Some of these become pathogenic to the fish in aquarium conditions, mostly in problematic tanks. The meds are to reduce the load and perhaps eradicate it.

The best you can do is keep good maintenance routine, and once you stock a tank and have it run stable and problem free, stop adding un-quarantined fish.

Alternatively one can avoid keeping species prone to these particular parasites but one may then come across fish prone to other different issues. There's no way around it but learning what you are dealing with and how to deal with it.

The bottom line is, keep fish in suitable conditions in a clean well maintained tank and the fish's immune system will keep things under control for you. Meds are for when things have gone out of control...